Coronavirus struck the Mexican and Colombian cartels – AP
World closing borders and restricting entertainment because of the coronavirus pandemic has dealt a serious blow to drug trafficking. This writes the Agency Associated Press, citing numerous interviews with law enforcement officials and experts on drug trafficking.
Interviewed by the Agency experts note that the lockdown has affected “virtually all of the supply chain” of drug traffickers. So, the Mexican cartels were left without precursors in the production of methamphetamine and fentanyl due to the closure of the borders of China, from where they supplied most of the raw materials.
In addition, the drug cartels face challenges in the delivery of drugs into the United States. Most of them crossed the Mexican-U.S. border, however due to the pandemic coronavirus flow of vehicles through the checkpoints and that drug dealers are using as cover fell seriously in these conditions to send trucks with drugs has become more risky.
In turn, in USA street drug dealers face a decline in demand, since the main places of sale – bars, night clubs and motels – closed.
However, according to representatives of law enforcement, drug cartels have also deliberately reduce the supply: it can significantly raise the cost of drugs in the retail market. So, the price of some types of drugs has increased more than four times.
